


Don't Call Me Sir

by Sefiru



Category: NCIS
Genre: Closeted Character, Drabbles, Fluff, Humor, Other, gradual transition, supportive team, transgender character
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-11-10
Updated: 2018-05-13
Packaged: 2019-01-31 08:31:57
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 1,514
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12678234
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Sefiru/pseuds/Sefiru
Summary: In which Gibbs may or may not be a closeted transwoman.





	1. Chapter 1

(1)

Later, McGee figures it slipped out because he’s just that tired of Gibbs’s macho Marine-ness. It’s the middle of yet another case, they’re all running on too much stress and too little sleep. Gibbs growls, “Get me those files yesterday, Probie.”

“Yes, sir.”

“And don’t call me sir.”

“Yes, ma’am. Sorry, ma’am.” He half expects Gibbs to tear him a new one – not that he has the energy to care – but instead Gibbs’s lip tilts up, and he turns away to yell at DiNozzo.

(2)

After that, whenever Gibbs gets too overbearing, McGee calls him ‘Ma’am’; it calms him right down. Abby thinks it’s cute. DiNozzo thinks he’s being sarcastic; McGee carefully doesn’t give him a reason to think otherwise. Technically they’re all civilians, _but._

Gibbs never says anything about it, but he doesn’t really need to. Once, when Gibbs is fussing over him after he gets hit in the head, McGee calls him ‘Mom’ and he actually smiles.

(3)

“Ow, ow, ow, this totally sucks,” Abby complains, while Ducky dabs antiseptic on her. She was wearing goggles when the beaker exploded, but some of the pieces struck her lower face. “Plus, my makeup is ruined and I left my kit at home.”

Gibbs is watching over Ducky’s shoulder with the rest of his team. He takes a tube of clear lip gloss from his pocket, and offers it to Abby.

“Awesome! You’re the best, Gibbs.”

DiNozzo says, “Boss, why are you carrying lip gloss?”

“Chapped lips.”

“Why not just use chapstick?”

Gibbs ignores the question.

(4)

McGee gets Gibbs a card for Mother’s Day. The card itself is fairly neutral, with a picture of a tree on it; inside, McGee writes, “Thank you for taking care of us.” Abby signs it too.

(5)

Halloween; the Yard is holding a costume party as a morale-building event. Tony, dressed as Jack Sparrow, and Ziva, dressed as Spider-man, are hanging around the snack table waiting for the rest of their team to show up.

“Ziva. DiNozzo.”

Tony turns towards the familiar voice, and – “Holy shit.” Gibbs is wearing a spectacular floor-length ballgown straight out of Disney, all lace and ruffles. And even weirder, he makes it look good. Tony isn’t the only one staring.

“I’m surprised he’s ok with wearing something like that.”

“Perhaps he is secure in his gender identity,” says Ziva.

Gibbs swans over to them and smacks Tony’s head. “Eyes front, DiNozzo.”


	2. Chapter 2

(6)

“Hey, Tony, I dee-double-dare you to ask Gibbs for a dance.”

Tony looks at Abby (dressed as a devil), then back at Gibbs in his ballgown. Oh god, this is going to be embarrassing, but less so than Abby teasing him about it all evening. He walks over to where Gibbs is talking to some of the other senior agents. “Ma’am, may I have this dance?”

Gibbs raises an eyebrow, shoots a glance at a chortling Abby – and takes Tony’s offered arm. “Sure, why not.”

To Tony’s surprise, Gibbs actually knows how to dance. An even bigger surprise is that Gibbs lets him lead. “Go big or go home, huh, Boss?”

“Carpe diem, DiNozzo.”

(7)

Tony is driving, which gives him an excuse not to look at McGee as he says, “About Gibbs. Am I the last person on the team to clue in?”

“Pretty much.” McGee fiddles with his phone. “You know why we have to make it look like a joke, right?”

“Big time.” The US Navy isn’t exactly known for its liberal social attitudes. There are plenty of people at the Yard who would give Gibbs a hard time; not long ago, Tony would have been one of them.

“Are you going to have a problem with it?” McGee asks.

“Nah, McWorrywart, I’m good.” 

(8)

“I’m screwed,” DiNozzo groans, leaning his forehead against his beer stein.

“I know,” says Ziva. “It is unusual for you to allow me to be the designated driver.” She sips her ginger ale and scans the bar for their suspect. “What is it that has your socks in a knot?”

“That’s shorts in a knot, Ziva.” Tony doesn’t lift his head from the stein. “I’m crushing on my boss, how pathetic is that?”

He can hear Ziva’s smirk as she answers, “I thought you were confident in how to treat a woman.”

“Yeah, but …”

“But?” Ziva’s voice is dangerously neutral.

“Gibbs is, like, a _lady_. Totally out of my league. And anyway, Rule 12; I’ve got no chance.”

“Do the two of you not already eat dinner together every week?”

Tony blinks, and groans again. “I didn’t even know I was into cougars.”

(9)

It’s the first team barbecue of the year, and Tony and Ziva arrive at Gibbs’ house at the same time. Tony pauses as he catches sight of Gibbs. “Boss is wearing a skirt.”

“They are terribly comfortable,” says Ziva. “I am sure that soon everyone will be wearing one.”

Tony gives her an incredulous stare. “Did you just quote _The Princess Bride_?”

Ziva ignores the question.

(10)

“You thinking of taking that promotion, DiNozzo?”

“I dunno, Boss. The team is pretty important to me…”

“I wouldn’t be in your chain of command anymore.”

“Yeah.” Tony runs that statement through his mind again, and his ears turn pink. “Oh.”

(11)

Tony hasn’t been this nervous about a date in a long time. He fidgets with the lapels of his jacket as he stands on Gibbs’ doorstep. The door opens, and Tony bites his lip. Gibbs is wearing a suit – no, a _pantsuit_ – and a sweater scattered with metallic threads. There is a leather messenger bag hung over his (her, now?) shoulder; no doubt it holds a knife (rule 9) as well as phone and lip gloss. All together the effect is – “Um. Wow.”

Gibbs smirks. “Shall we?”

“Yeah. Um, I got reservations at Fabrizio’s. I mean, if that’s all right with you. I, uh.”

“Tony.” Headsmack. “Relax, you’re doing good.”

“Yes, ma’am.”


	3. Chapter 3

(12)

Gibbs opens the salon door cautiously; ths is new territory for an old Marine. “I’ve got an appointment, 1300.”

The young man at the counter consults his logbook. “Gibbs? Right this way, please. What are we doing for you today?”

“Thinking of something like this.” Gibbs hands him a printout. The stylist looks from the picture, which is of Dame Judy Dench in a pixie cut, to Gibbs and back.

“Yeah … yeah, I can do this. It’ll look good on you.”

Gibbs takes a seat and the stylist asks, “So, do you prefer Sir or Ma’am?”

“Ma’am.”

(13)

Dianne strolls into the bullpen and immediately notices that something is off. She can’t put her finger on it, but the atmosphere is more, relaxed? Focused? She sets the thought aside as the elevator opens, intending to get straight to her reason for coming here. What she says instead is, “Jethro, what did you do with your hair?”

He shrugs. “New look.”

“It makes you look like a girl!” she exclaims.

“Thanks.”

That … isn’t sarcastic? Dianne looks closer; it’s not just the hair, his clothes have a feminine cut too. Neither McGee, who’s at his computer, nor DiNozzo, who’s walking behind Gibbs, seem surprised. “DiNozzo, what is Gibbs up to now?”

DiNozzo ignores the question.

(14)

Vance drops a sheaf of paperwork on Gibbs’s desk. Gibbs flips through it; on top is a name change form, followed by other documents needed for a legal change of identity. Gibbs raises an eyebrow.

“Use them or don’t,” says Vance. “It’s up to you.”

(15)

Gibbs accepts a teacup from her neighbour Sarah. ‘Thanks for inviting me.”

“We _have_ known each other for ages,” Sarah says, “and now that you’re getting out more, so to speak, it seemed like the thing to do.”

There are half a dozen women in Sarah’s parlor; all of them are about Gibbs’s age and have lived in the same neighbourhood for years.

“There’s no need to be shy,” says the oldest lady. “This is the sort of thing we burned bras for, back in the day.”

“Oh, come off it, Mabel, you’ve never burned a bra in your life.”

“Well, not intentionally,” Mabel replies. “There’s a reason I get my ironing done at the cleaners. My point is, we all remember what it was like back then.”

“When men were men, whether they liked it or not?” says Sarah. “Anyway, what should we call you, dear? ‘Jethro’ hardly suits you anymore.”

“Haven’t decided. I’m thinking of Elaine.”

“Elaine Gibbs,” Mabel tries out. “It could work.”

One of the others asks, “Are you going to get surgery?”

“Catherine!” Sarah exclaims, scandalised.

“What? We were talking about June’s gallbladder last week.”

“Not on the first visit, though. _Honestly_ , Cathy!”

Gibbs hides a smile behind her teacup. “Been in too many hospitals already. And too late for hormones to do much good.” She can live with most of it, though the voice bothers her sometimes.

The other ladies make sympathetic noises. “Body image issues, dear?” says Mabel. “You’re not alone in that.”

“What I want to hear about is that handsome young man of yours,” says June.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Happy Mother's Day, everybody!


End file.
